


Give me a night

by disappointionist



Category: Teen Wolf (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe - College/University, F/F, F/M, Fake/Pretend Relationship, Minor Scott McCall/Kira Yukimura
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-09-01
Updated: 2015-09-01
Packaged: 2018-04-16 20:37:54
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,206
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4639374
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/disappointionist/pseuds/disappointionist
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>When Allison gets an invitation to her ex's wedding in Beacon Hills, a town she has since long left behind her, she isn't very keen on going. Yet as it turns out, she is also absolutely terrible at saying no. Lucky for her, she also has a best friend with a plan.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Give me a night

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Cyn](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Cyn/gifts).



> I am ever so thankful to the awesome betaing skills of Sandro (werewolf666) and Anna. <3

 

TWO MONTHS BEFORE

 

It had been careless to leave the invitation on the fridge.

As if it had been _calling out to her_ Lydia moved instantly toward it, plucking it off from the shiny metallic surface with two careful fingers.

“You're going to a wedding?” She asked, quirking one eyebrow at Allison as the other woman entered the kitchen after her. Allison sighed, moving to set the bag of groceries that Lydia had brought down on the counter. She should have known better than to think she could just pretend that invitation hadn't even landed on her doorstep. The save the date card had quickly gone into a folder on her desk, but this she had left out to remember to respond to it.

 

“Probably not.” She said truthfully as she unpacked the bag, glancing at Lydia out of the corner of her eye.

“Well that's a relief. I was wondering why we hadn't gone dress shopping yet.” Lydia said, looking down at the card with a little twitch to her brows before she looked back up at Allison again.  
Allison tried to busy herself with the groceries still before opening a few cupboards to prepare the coffee she had promised Lydia over the phone. In all, doing her very best to ignore the way she could feel Lydia's glare.

  
“ _Why_ are you not going?” Lydia inquired after a long moment. Maybe she had hoped Allison would come around to it without her asking. Sighing a little, Allison opened the jar of coffee grounds and began scooping it into the filter of the coffee maker.

“It's my ex's.” She explained, shrugging her shoulders. “I mean. We're friends. And it'll be all my old friends there I just...” Frowning at the coffee, she realized she had lost count of the scoops.

When she turned her head, Lydia was right next to her.  
“I counted four.” Lydia said, nodding to the coffee. Allison smiled gently at her. She knew this meant that Lydia understood.

 

They had known each other since Allison's first trembling steps into a college dorm room. Lydia had already been in there when Allison arrived and she had already managed to unpack and decorate enough to make it look like she lived there.

It had been a bit intimidating to Allison, arriving with her father and a single suitcase in tow. However, Lydia's wide smile and the way she had reached for both of Allison's hands to welcome her inside had been anything but.

Lydia was a Mathematics Major and Allison had picked a few courses, mostly in social and political sciences. It had almost struck Allison as a little odd at the time, how well she and Lydia had seemed to get along even then. Even when Allison had no idea what she wanted to do with her life while Lydia had a mapped out 10 year plan ahead of her.

For nearly four years they had been roommates, first in a tiny dorm that they attempted to make cosy and then in a tiny but actually cosy apartment. And it meant that Allison knew that when Lydia pointed out this small detail with the coffee, it meant that she was ready to drop the entire thing.

That was, of course not to say she was going to let it go forever, Allison knew that as well. But it meant that Lydia could hang in there for Allison to be the one to speak first.

 

*

 

THREE WEEKS BEFORE

 

Allison was sitting cross-legged in one corner of Lydia's couch.

They had moved apart almost a year prior, more of necessity than no longer wanting to share space anymore. Lydia was at that point going to head into her PhD course and Allison had gotten a job as a security guard at a pub downtown. It was mostly calm, full of regulars trying to escape the student -packed places closer to campus. Sure it happened that a drunken party strayed all the way over to where she worked, but Allison could handle it not only being quick, strong and clever, but because drunk college boys usually gravely underestimated her. Not only was the pay decent, but it had helped her build up the nerve and confidence to apply to the Police academy. But the job was all the way across town and the hours were far from great when trying to not disturb your entirely exhausted roommate.

 

”So I was thinking...” Allison trailed off, because even though she had thought a lot about saying this, she hadn't quite managed to figure out how to say it. She didn't look at Lydia, but instead cocked her head to the side and scrutinized her glass of wine on the table.

”Oh?” Lydia said, her legs stretched out along the length of the couch. Allison could hear that she was smirking while she spoke. ”Is it something dangerous?”

”What?” Allison blinked. ”Oh no. I was just... you know this... well you know the wedding?” She said, and her best friend nodded. ”Well... it seems like I'm going.” For a long while it was quiet between them. Allison at last dared to look at Lydia, who had a rather distant expression.

 

”You're going to your ex's wedding?” She asked then. Surprised, but not judging or frowning. Her tone was breezy, as if she just needed Allison to clarify a detail of something bigger.

”Yes.” Allison's jaw tensed a little as she spoke. ”It would seem so.” She looked down at her lap feeling a blush creeping onto her cheeks. ”I'm not quite sure why or how it happened. But I was standing there on the phone and I _heard_ myself saying it wouldn't be a problem.” Shaking her head, she managed a short laugh. “I said it wouldn't be a problem because... Well, I said I was dating someone and I could just bring them along.”

 

She had speeded up her last sentence. Feeling entirely embarrassed by the whole situation and wanting to get it over with as fast as possible. She glanced at Lydia, who nodded, seemingly in understanding.

”But you're not dating someone.” Lydia said, a statement of fact nothing more. Allison smiled a little awkwardly, brushing a strand of hair behind her left ear.

”Yeah.” She said.

”Okay then.” Lydia shrugged, the movement making her curls bounce.

”Okay then what?” Allison asked, looking quizzical. This was clearly amusing to Lydia who shook her head and grinned as if she was expecting Allison to just play at being clueless.

 

”I'll be your girlfriend.” She said, her grin fading a little as Allison looked at her in surprise. ”Because that's what you were going to ask, right? When you said you had been thinking”

”Not... really. Well...” Allison said, a bit hesitant. It was a silly thing, really. Lydia shouldn't have to do that, Allison should just call and tell them she didn't have a date and or that she couldn't come altogether. “You really don't have to.”

 

It surprised her then, when Lydia made a happy noise and leaned over from her seat, taking both of Allison's hands in hers.

“We are going to _knock them out_.” She said. And as usual, when Lydia said something in that particularly confident tone of hers which Allison knew so well. It made Allison smile. Then she narrowed her eyes just a fraction, looking closely at her best friend's face.

“You're just doing this so you can take me dress shopping, are you not?” She asked then, her voice low and playful. Lydia, of course, only batted her eyelashes as innocently as she could manage.

“I'm just trying to be a good best friend and all I get in return are accusations that I, of all people, would have ulterior motives!” She said, her tone verging on the dramatic. Then her lips twisted into a smile and at the exact same time, the two of them started laughing.

 

Allison thought, that perhaps this wasn't as bad as she had thought. Perhaps now, she could even go there and enjoy herself. Beacon Hills didn't feel as bad in the light of her bringing something from her new life with her. Something that mattered, something that laughed in synch with her and made her feel this easy even after a long week.

 

*

 

ONE DAY BEFORE

 

Allison hadn't been to Beacon Hills for nearly six years. Her father had decided to move away from the town when she made the choice to leave for college. She knew that they had stayed for the friends she had there and for school, and she was glad that her dad had decided to go when she did.

Their memories of this place weren't particularly pleasant. Here, her family had a fallout, her grandfather and her father's relationship snapped with a finality that seemed irreparable.. Here, they had fought over ridiculous things for too long. Here, Allison's mother had died. There had been good days, there are always good days Allison knew. But in the end, she thought they both seemed a lot lighter after moving away.

 

It felt strange to drive into that town again. The one that was home for a long time.

Allison had insisted taking the last turn at the wheel. She found that she still knew the roads she drove down and every single turn she needed to make. But they felt odd, and she felt she was unable to pinpoint why. In some part it was the little things, a tree that had gotten cut down, a closed store, a new restaurant. Yet it felt like it was something more to it. Something much harder to define.

Lydia was singing along to something on the stereo, leaning the side of her temple against the window as she watched the town roll by outside it. She had insisted on making playlists for the road, and of course knew every single line to every single song. Allison only knew a few, but she obligingly hummed along when Lydia stared her down. Her best friend's look conveying that she was certain that Allison was holding back on her.

 

More than one person had offered up their home to Allison. But she found she felt a bit odd about accepting any of them. Almost everyone was already involved with this wedding and the ones that weren't still had parents and families to come home to for a visit. Allison was after all only a guest and not only that, she was bringing someone from her new life with her. Someone that was supposed to be her girlfriend.

She glanced away from the road for a second, looking at Lydia's face as she in turn watched the houses and the stores and the kids playing. They had planned their relationship, on Lydia's insistence, of course. Lydia was treating this a little like it was a grand heist, which Allison thought would annoy her but had in fact only brought some excitement to the entire thing.

 

“Typical town, isn't it?” Allison asked gently as she turned her eyes back to the road.

“Hm.” Lydia said, a little thoughtful. “Maybe to some. But it was yours once.” She said.

Allison felt a little leap of surprise in her chest. Then she smiled. She wasn't entirely sure what to reply to that and Lydia didn't seem to mind that she fell quiet.

 

When finding a place to stay, Allison had settled for a little bed and breakfast on the outskirts of town. It was at walking distance from the wedding venue, a park known for it's rose collection. If collection was the right word for having many kinds of roses, Allison wasn't entirely sure.

She was happy with the short distance, because it meant that she could get drunk and not worry about Lydia having to drive them back to the hotel. Lydia had of course been very particular about their choice of sleeping quarters, and she had also been the one to insist they get a double room. It wasn't as if they hadn't been asleep together several times since they first met. Studying together, marathoning their favourite movies, crashing on Lydia's couch after a party...

And besides, Beacon Hills was a pretty small town and they didn't want their relationship questioned over such a simple thing as separate rooms even before they had arrived in town.

 

*

 

ONE HOUR BEFORE

 

“Are you ready yet, Lydia?” Allison called out. She had been sitting on the edge of the bed for at least 20 minutes now. She would have laid back down, but she was in her dress already and had spent at least half an hour on her hair.

“Just a minute!” Lydia called back from the bathroom.

 

It was a good size room, light from the big window and decorated with wood and pale blues and beiges. A little quaint in the way that made it feel mostly sweet. And the lady who ran it seemed to be a real sweetheart, offering them an extended breakfast as she suggested they might be out late for the wedding.

“What are you even doing?!” Allison sounded only a bit frustrated. She heard clattering as Lydia dropped something into the basin.

“Well I want to look every bit like the dream I am, don't I?” She called back, and Allison could tell she was smiling. “Anyway. All done now. And with time to spare to get there!” Lydia opened the door and walked out. “Told you I wouldn't let us be late.”

 

Allison looked at her, hands clasping and unclasping in her lap.

“You okay?” Lydia asked with a quizzical look.

She was wearing an emerald green gown that wrapped around her bust and flowed down from her hips. It unfolded in several thin asymmetrical layers down her legs. Her hair formed into a braided crown that wrapped around her head. A few curled ringlets fell effortlessly down at the side of her neck.

“Yeah. I just...” Allison trailed off, then she laughed quite, noting that she sounded a bit nervous. “You look amazing.” She said. Lydia gave her a wide smile.

“Of course I do.” She said, reaching for Allison's hands and pulling her up from the bed. “I need to look like I'm dating you, remember?” She said, squeezing Allison's hands in hers before she let them go. “You're stunning, Allison.” Her tone was honest and sweet. Allison turned her head down and looked at her sandaled feet for a moment.

“Okay.” She said after a while, daring to look up again with a small smile on her lips. “Let's go knock them out then.”

 

*

 

FIFTEEN MINUTES BEFORE

 

It had been easy to imagine that it wouldn't feel like anything special at all. Walking up to the beautiful, decorated garden where both the ceremony and reception would take place. Feeling with every step how the green of the park and the warm tones of the decorations closed in on her.  
Instead, she felt nervous and whispering apologies to Lydia about her no doubt clammy hand. In return, Lydia only patted her arm and told her it was fine.

 

Noshiko came over to greet them first, smiling. After a much needed deep breath, Allison smiled back, letting go of Lydia's hand to greet the older woman..

“Mrs Yukimura.” She said. “You look great!” She said.

“Thank you! So do you, Allison. You know it's Noshiko still.” Her voice was warm and felt genuine, making Allison feel a little more at ease.

Within a second she and before she had managed a reply to Noshiko, she was pulled into a warm hug. It only took her a moment to recognize Melissa’s warm embrace.

“Allison I'm so happy to see you!” Melissa exclaimed, once she let her go. “You look so beautiful! And this is your...” Then she turned to look at Lydia, reaching out for and taking her hands with a wide smile.

“Girlfriend, yes.” Allison said, her voice wavering a little.

“Lydia. Lydia Martin.” Lydia introduced herself, smiling back at both of the women.

“And I'm Melissa McCall.” Melissa said, gesturing to Noshiko. “And this is Noshiko Yukimura.”

“Mothers of the happy couple.” Lydia said, squeezing Noshiko's hand in greeting. “This place is so beautiful” She said, gesturing around them. “I know there will be a lot of people here that matter a lot to Allison, and I'm so happy I can be here for that.”

“We were so happy when Allison said she would come. It just makes it even better that we get to meet you as well.” Melissa said, smiling back at her.

“We should probably get to our seats.” Allison shot in, glancing a little behind them at the row of incoming guests. “You two have a lot of hostessing to do.” She said.

 

Both women squeezed their hands one more time and reassured them that of course they were more than happy to see them. As they made their way over to their assigned seats, Allison looked around at the surroundings. The big white tent where the dancing and eating would take place. The decorations consisting of ribbons and paper pompoms that hung from poles and along the aisle. It all tied in so beautifully with the wild roses just a few feet away, the warm peach, cream, red, orange and yellows. Lydia pressed her arm against Allison's.

"So that went well!” She said. “They seemed happy to see you.”

“Well, you're helping, I think.” Allison admitted. Lydia tugged at her wrist, stopping and pulling Allison to a halt with her a few steps away from the back row of chairs.

 

Before she had the time to ask what was going on, Lydia stood up on her tiptoes and kissed her lightly, just off the corner of her mouth. Her hands lingering at each side of her face. Allison tried not to seem entirely surprised and let out a little huff of a laugh. It felt like a whiff of nervous energy escaping her. Then she placed her fingertips on Lydia's wrists and smiled, exhaling softly.

It had been fine. They would be fine. She would be fine because Lydia was there.

“I think they just like you. As they should.” Lydia said. “Now come on. Escort your lady to her seat.”

 

Perhaps it was because of some sticky lipgloss that Lydia was wearing, but after that Allison felt like no matter how much she tried to rub it away, she could still feel an imprint of Lydia's lips right next to her mouth.

 

*

 

Seeing them was odd. But odd in the way that it felt right. As if in Allison's head, she couldn't see them fit so well with anyone else. Kira's short frame in front of Scott's. His dimples that seemed to have grown permanent for the occasion as he looked at her. _Kept_ looking at her as if he was worried she would turn out not to actually be there at any minute. The way Kira felt as if she was bouncing, bursting with energy even though she had to keep still. Her entire expression and posture humming with happiness.

 

Allison wondered for a brief moment as she glanced at her best friend, if Lydia wanted to get married some day. They hadn't talked about it, none of them having dated anyone for long enough for the matter to ever come up during the years they had known each other. But Lydia did cry vastly to romantic movies, as did Allison from time to time although she was less prone to admitting it. Maybe they were both the marrying kind, even though Allison had hardly considered any kind of dream wedding since she was around ten or so.

She looked back up at Kira and Scott beaming at each other again, and she smiled too.

 

Still, she knew she was squeezing Lydia's hand just a little too much. Toward the end of the ceremony Lydia leaned in close, hiding her face in Allison's hair as she whispered in her ear.

“It's alright for old loves to sting just a little.” She said. “Even if it doesn't hurt anymore, even if it was long ago.”

And Allison had to wrap her arm around Lydia's shoulders and hold her there for another, long moment. Lydia was breathing softly, almost as if sighing, against her. She only straightened up again in time for the I do's.

“Thank you.” She whispered. Lydia didn't reply, but smiled as she lay her head down on Allison's shoulder.

 

*

 

FIVE HOURS AFTER

 

Allison was sitting at their table, her eyes moving over the dancing crowd, the children who seemed to weave in and out between legs and tables and decorated tent poles.

The ceremony had been beautiful, the reception perhaps even more so. At one point, Kira and Scott came over to them and said hello to Lydia. They had seemed so happy to see her that Allison couldn't quite manage to hold on to the feeling that she didn't belong there.

She found, as she turned her head and watched the newlyweds dance. That she was happy that they were this happy.

 

“Come on.” Lydia's voice came as a surprise to Allison. Her best friend had left the table a while earlier to find them some more cocktails. She spoke softly as she leaned down and took hold of both of Allison's hands. “You owe me at least one dance.”

“Alright then.” Allison agreed. Feeling that right then, if any time at all, was the time to dance her heart out.

They danced until long curls were straying from Lydia's braid and Allison had to put her shawl away because it kept slipping down. They were laughing while they danced, Allison leaning her head back a little while she did, looking up at the dizzying amount of fairylights hung from the ceiling of the tent. Her movements more flowing than Lydia's, who looked cut straight from a trendy night club except when she grabbed the occasional champagne glass to cool down. When she did she insisted to keep dancing while she did, resulting in some barely-there knee movements and slow swaying with one arm lifted over her head.

 

They had little time to pay attention to each other, let alone the people on the rest of the dance floor. Only occasionally taking hold of the other's hand or waist when trying to get out of the way or to steady themselves when nearly losing their balance.

Not until the music slowed into a romantic ballad did Allison look up and properly meet Lydia's eyes. Her best friend was glowing with a high off music and dancing and laughter. She looked stunning, even with her hair in a state which could be identified by a lot of people as ruined.

 

Allison took Lydia's hand and intended to walk her back to the table, but Lydia tugged her back.

She pulled a face, one eyebrow raised and a wide smile on her glossed lips. Allison rolled her eyes, but she still pulled Lydia toward her. The shorter girl tumbling against her chest.

For a moment they stood quiet, then Lydia wrapped her arms around Allison's neck. Allison wrapped her arms around Lydia's waist, just like she would have if they were hugging. They swayed from side to side, but barely moved their feet.

The laughter had died down, but Allison could still feel it skipping against her ribs. Lydia leaned her head against her chest, and Allison wondered if she could hear the laughter bubbling in there.

 

Then, her eyes met Scott's from across the dance floor. She hadn't thought about it before, but they were both taller than their dance partner. This meant a clear view of each other even from halfway across the dance floor. Allison smiled at him, at Kira with her eyes closed in his arms. Scott smiled back, dimples showing. After a moment she looked away again, burying her face in the top of Lydia's hair when she could not figure out anywhere else to look.

 

Lydia pulled back, looking up at Allison who shook her head.

“I'm fine.” She said, although Lydia hadn't asked her anything.

And then, Lydia kissed her. As if it was the most simple thing in the world to just press her lips against Allison's. Allison leaned down, meeting Lydia's mouth with her own. Surprised to find the same ease in her own movements. In a way, she had known it would happen. In a way, it felt right. Lydia's lips sliding against hers, slightly parted. Allison deepened the kiss and let her hand come to rest at the nape Lydia's neck. In response, Lydia lifted herself up a little further toward her. Their bodies flush against each other now, not even swaying to the music anymore.

 

“I've got this awful feeling that everyone is staring at me like I'm the center of the room right now.” Allison mumbled, a little out of breath.

“You're probably wrong.” Lydia told her. “But we were going to knock them out.” She giggled a little and Allison shook her head and smiled.

“I suppose you're right.” She admitted.

Before she had the time to think of anything else, Lydia was kissing her again, soft and slow as if she had all the time in the world. Allison tried to find the beat of the music again, moving her feet a little.

“Let's just dance until the band leaves and they throw us out.” She said as she pulled back from the kiss, leaning her forehead against Lydia's.

“It's not like we haven't done that before.” Lydia replied, grinning. Allison wrapped her arms around Lydia's waist again, holding her tight as they swayed slowly in time with the music.

 

She knew that they were bubbling with champagne and that it would last them the rest of the night. She wondered if, tomorrow, it would still feel like Lydia's lips were right there on hers.

 

*

 

EIGHT HOURS AFTER

 

It was dark outside and a little chilly. Allison had wrapped her jacket over Lydia's shoulders, thinking that her own sweater was warm enough. They walked slowly, side by side, on the grass that lined the pavement. Allison had given up and taken her shoes off and she wanted to be sure that she didn't step on something sharp.

Occasionally, their shoulders would bump into the others as they walked, but none of them said anything at first. When Allison glanced at Lydia, Lydia's eyes were directed up at the night sky. On a whim, Allison reached for and took Lydia's hand. Holding it lightly, as if waiting for Lydia to draw her hand back at any second.

 

“I'm really glad you wanted to come with me to this.” Allison said. Lydia turned her head to look at her.

“I'm glad I could come to.” She said softly. “I know...” Looking ahead of them again, she paused for a moment. “I know this place isn't all good memories and sunshine for you. But it felt good tonight to see how many people in there care about you.”

“They were the best thing about this place.” Allison agreed, squeezing Lydia's hand. “You know, I felt safer, having you along? Because you're the best thing about my life _now_ and you know me as that person, not the one from six years ago.”

“Keeps you grounded.” Lydia said, nodding. Then they smiled at each other. Allison couldn't help herself and let out a giggle, resulting of course in dragging the same kind of laugh out of Lydia.

 

They walked ahead, giggling from champagne and dancing and all that emotion that both was and wasn't spoken of. When the giggles subsided, they were silent instead. Looking up at the sky, their fingers still intertwined.

“Hey, Allison?” Lydia said at last, just as they were turning the corner to the path up to the B&B. “You're the best thing about my life too.”

 

*

 

SEVENTEEN HOURS AFTER

or: three years, thirty days and seven hours before

 

Allison put their bags in the trunk and shut it. Lydia was already in the passenger seat, she had put the key in the ignition and was tinkering with the stereo. Allison couldn't hear the music, but she could feel one of the easy-to-move-to basslines that Lydia favored so much. She smiled in spite of herself. They had been all quiet understanding this morning. Both of them rather hung over anyway. Packing their things up, handing each other a garment here and a hairbrush there, effortlessly switching places by the sink in the bathroom.

She hadn't thought too much about the night before. And she was going to enjoy the car ride back home. She was pretty sure that the second thoughts she hadn't had earlier would happen once she was alone.

 

When she opened the car door, Lydia greeted her by already singing along.

“I can't believe you're feeling well enough for that already.” Allison shook her head as she got into her seat.

“I'm really not. This is just how I deal with that feeling.” Lydia said, turning the music down a little. Allison frowned.

“You didn't have to...” She said, reaching to turn the volume back up, but Lydia's hand stopped her.

“It's fine.” She said, meeting Allison's eyes.

“Lydia!” She laughed, a small and surprised sound that came along with the name.

“Allison.” Lydia's eyes were calm and yet challenging her to something that she hadn't even been aware of.

 They were still looking at each other. Lydia seemed so determined and sure and Allison just felt a little dizzy.

“Yeah.” She said, a lot softer than intended. Because she didn't know exactly what Lydia was saying, but with her track record she was probably right. Tentatively, Allison interlaced her fingers with Lydia's, watching her best friend's eyes as she let her do so. She held tighter this time, not at all like the night before when she had expected Lydia to pull her hand away.

 

For a moment they just sat like that, until Allison felt like she had no choice but to look away. To look out over the parking lot. She took a deep breath, intending to say something even though she hadn't figured out what.

 She looked down instead, at Lydia's hand in hers. At the way they just seemed to rest between them. Something still and calm in the storm that was Allison's head at that moment. Her heart was thrumming loud in her ears, completely out of beat with the fast paced song that had come on the stereo. Then she drew in a breath, slow but steady. Meeting Lydia's eyes she smiled.

 Before Lydia caught on to it, Allison surprised her by belting out the chorus to the song. Lydia shook her head and laughed, but just seconds later she was singing along too. None of them cared that they were still at a standstill in a parking lot. That they were holding hands and yelling along to the car stereo as if they were the only two people at a concert with their favorite band. In their minds, a parked car felt just as good.

 

 


End file.
